The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-10-21
China ut Home.

China is the country Of long trcSscs
and short feet; 4 country where tea Is
drank without milk or sugar, and two
little ivory sticks, carefully handled be
tween finger and thumb, replace the fork
and spoon; a country whore you call the
first man yOu meet your elder brother;
where 10 ask a boOtmaker his address it
* necessary to ask what noble palace"
he inhabits a country where the credi-
tor has the right to make an iusOlycnt
debtor pav his bill with a piece OF his
flesh, and where the del1er, by way OF
revenge, hangs himself at the creditors
door; country where the son ruins
himself TO buy a coffin for his dead father,
and covered with a Lcmpeu garment
walks backwards as he follows his
sumptuouS funeral; a country where
people work Tor their rice instead of
working i"r their bread but which Is OF
earth and not OF laCpucr-wOrk and pOrCc-
lain and where, - in other countries,
the husband loves his wife and the
Orangr-cOlorrd mother loves her slant
eyed children.
1t l. q country, moreover in which the
bride attaches more Importance 10 the
personal appearance OF the bridegroom,
and the bridegroom equal importance TO
the moral qualities OF the bride and the
basis OF many Chinese dramas as OF
dramas in other parts OF the world, IS the
passion OF love Women have been for
bidden to appear on the stage since the
day when 4 celebrated actress inspired
the emperor with 81 fatal caprice. The
men, who undertake female - well ~
male parts, play with good expression,
and Use a zuperabundance Of gestures,
some OF which, though derived from the
observation Of reality, have ut last
acquired purely conventional value.
An actor who, pivoting on his left foot
makes a cirCular movement with his
right, il understood To be getting on
horseback. To cut the air with a riding
vhip i 10 indicate, through the COnncc-
ton of cause with effect, a gallOping pace.
The exhibition OF pieces Of gold cloth
with wheels painted on them has almo-t
an arbitrary meaning, and signifies that
the emperor Il coming.
Etiquette Is rigidly observed. Young
girl walking IN the street must not turn
her head round nor at home il she To
glance slyly At visitors She Il to reIncnI-
bcr, moreover, that girls who are always
laughing and talking are not esteemed,
and that NirtuOus women have been
hOnOred from the earliest times. The
philosopher Nendzc grieved when he
saw his mother break her shuttle; tho
woman TsOun threw herself on 4 sword
in order 10 rave her husbands life the
mother of 40, being 50 poor that she
could not buy writing materials, taught
her son to read by tracing characters in
the sand Women should be able to
read, write and use the counting machine,
so ~ 10 be in position to direct a house
hold. They should read books of piety
and stories of morality III action, while
avoiding love poetry. songs and anec-
dOtcS. Women should be reserved and
they are cruelty enjOinCd never TO occupy
themselves with other peoples affairs.
Men ought never to talk of domestic
matters, while women should never talk
o1 anything else. When u visitor is in
the drawing-rOom, the lady OF the house
should not be heard raising her voice in
the Kitchen. Women are not 10 paint
their faces and wear striking coIors for
the insufficient reason that il they do men
Will look ST them Young women, IA
well Is young men, are to bc dutiful to
their parents, and always in good
humor, even when their father and
mother are not.